suneet

We wanted to visit Cafe Sacher, which would be recommended- the one at their Vienna Hotel or at the Salzburg Hotel?
is it better to do a main meal or a high tea?
do we need prior reservations?
Any dress code?

Thanks in advance.

grrr

is it better to do a main meal or a high tea?
This is Austria, not England. So make your choice of coffee and pastry - they serve tea and meals, of course, but this is not what an Austrian café is all about.

do we need prior reservations?
No.

Any dress code?
Regular tourist outfit.

annhig

the original cafe Sacher is I believe in Vienna, and the cake that takes its name originated there.

so to get the full experience, if you are in Vienna, that would be the place to go.

but if it suits your plans better to go in Salzburg, why not? Kaffee und Kuchen are welcome anywhere, any time, IMO. and you will find many other lovely Kaffeehäuser in both cities.

valtor

Annhig is right:the original Sacher is in Vienna. We were there for Sacher torte and a coffee, the place is nice, but we were not enthusiastic about torte. No regrets, as it is so famous, we wanted to try it.

I strongly recommend you to go to Cafe Central in Vienna, Herrengasse 14. It is in a palace (Ferstel); the interior is very beautiful and special. We had there a good strudel and a coffee. See here some images:
http://www.palaisevents.at/en/cafecentral.html

suneet

Thanks for your suggestions, we will stick to Vienna.

Grrr .. agree, best to have what the place if famous for and that has always been my mantra. But my body is allergic to coffee.

J62

then have a cup of tea and cake.

clausar

Cafe Sacher is a very nice Cafe, but there are better ones i think..
I was living in Vienna for 9 years, my favorite Cafe is Cafe Hawelka in Dorotheergasse, 20 meter from Graben.
It doesn't have the luxury and flair of other Cafes such as Sacher or Central, it looks like a Cafe of the 30s though, as owners were not allowed to renovate it, when they tried long time ago.
Personally i never liked the Sacher Torte, as it is not a Torte... but a simple chocolate cake.In my 9 years in Vienna i only tried it once, and never again.
I love the austrian sweets, especially the ones made with Topfen ( Quark in Germany), which is a fresh cheese.
Try Topfentorte, Topfengolatsche or Topfen Palatschinke.
While in Vienna pay a visit to the famous Cafe Demel, located am Kohlmarkt 14 ( Between the Graben and the Hofburg).

romanl

The original, no matter the case, is always best. So I would strongly recommend the Cafe Sacher in Hotel Sacher. Cafe Sacher in Salzburg is just not the same.

If you are allergic to coffee, then please do drink tea. No one will think the worse of you. My dear aunt drinks tea all the time, and she is from Linz.

Be prepared however, any desert in Austria or Germany is not as sweet as in the States or elsewhere. I hear this more than once from tourists who have tried the Sacher Torte or othe confections in Austria.

Yes a Sacher Torte is a torte. A torte is any round layered cake. I do agree with the previous poster, Cafe Demel is an excellent choice, as is Cafe Central.

Enjoy.............

nytraveler

You can go ifyou want for the name. We found the cake very dry - and it was midafternoon - not after dinner. Definitely not worth the money. Found many better konditerai/cafes.

mari5

We stepped into the side of the Hotel Sacher ,Vienna.(bakery counter), picked up a SAcher tort (or part of one) and took it back to our hotel .....just to get a taste of it. Not too bad, though I don't like chocolate too well. It WAS interesting,however...with the layer of raspberry? in the center, perhaps liquere of some kind... and the chocolate IS DARK! I may be wrong about the ingredients,, it's been several years.

annhig

mari - i think [though it's a while since i had one] that it's apricot.

i agree that there are many other lovely and possibly nicer Torten - some of the fruit ones for example - but my all time fave is the 'Schwartzwaelderkirschtorte" - I know it's a cliche but I love it!